Occasional Journal II

Synopsis

This collective project by third-year directing and cinematography students builds on the socially engaged, satirical and tongue-in-cheek concept of První občasník (The First Periodical, 1961). It comprises six commentaries on the problems of everyday life: space rockets and queues outside shops selling scarce goods, go-kart races on city streets, the uniformity of fashion tastes and gender stereotypes, memory loss, Black Theatre with nowhere to perform, the inescapable noise of civilisation, and a grotesque scuffle at FAMU, where a ruthless battle is waged for the editing suite or a camera. Ironic off-screen commentary and intertitles are used throughout; the segments conclude with the Švejk-esque refrain “That calls for calm”, while the whole is framed by the opening exclamation “That’s a nerve-wracking business” and the closing line “That calls for a solution”. The film was produced in collaboration with students from DAMU and HAMU.